Vatican makes new rules for miracles in saint-making

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has issued new rules for the process to determine if healings qualify as miracles for sainthood, including safeguards against possible financial abuses.

The rules, made public by the Holy See on Friday, deal with how a board of medical experts scrutinize potential miracles. They reflect Pope Francis' determination to ensure the sainthood process, which attracts donations by faithful for canonization candidates, is rigorous and avoids scandals.

Among the new regulations is one stipulating a potential miracle can come up for re-examination no more than three times if it fails to pass before the board of medical experts. Another rule says experts can only be paid through a bank account, no longer in cash.

Francis demanded more accountability after it was revealed there was virtually no financial oversight.